Product display unit

ABSTRACT

A product display unit is provided wherein a half model of an object appears as the complete object rotating freely in space. The product display unit includes an external box with a reflective surface mounted therein at a 45° angle relative to the bottom surface of the external box. A rotation mechanism is positioned adjacent the back side of the reflective surface and has at least one magnet thereon. The half model of the object has at least one magnet on the back side thereof, and is positioned on the front side of the reflective surface. The magnets attract each other so as to hold the half model against the reflective surface, while the rotation of the rotation mechanism causes the half model to rotate as well. The reflection of the half model in the reflective surface, together with the actual half model, create the perception of the full object.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/122,037, filed on Mar. 6, 2014, and entitled“Detached and Mobile Product Advertisement Stand”, presently pending.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is a free-standing and mobile display unit whichrelates to an advanced method and mechanism in order to revolve androtate any physical 3-D object to be displayed, as if the object issuspended and revolving freely in space without any attachments orconnectors.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.

Today, physical product or object display units display the objects (forexample, a commercial product) either stationary or with the object tobe displayed as attached to a moving mechanism which moves via thatattachment/connector, or on top of a moving surface, both of which areobvious to the viewer's eye.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is useful in all kinds of advertisement anddisplay objects, including but not limited to fields and relevantapplications like shopping window advertisements, open airadvertisements, closed space advertisements. The present invention iscapable of displaying any three-dimensional object such that to theviewer, the object displayed is rotating and floating freely in space.

To create this perception, a half model of the real product/ is rotatedon an inclined reflective surface (for example, a mirror) while theother half view is completed by the reflection of the half model on thereflective surface virtually. Thus, the viewer perceives a whole, realthree-dimensional object is freely revolving in space with noattachments, binders or connectors.

This visual effect of perception in the viewer's eye is formed byattaching and sliding the half model of the target object to bedisplayed on a reflective surface (for example, a mirror) inclinedforward with 45 degrees of angle relative to the ground plane.

The missing (complementary) half of the complete (full) object image isformed by the reflection of the half model from the reflective surface,to the eye of the viewer, standing in front of the display.

The revolving motion of the object, is created by the movement ofmagnets, non-visibly embedded into the half model of the object,tracking the movement of the puller, opposite polarized magnets,rotating on the non-visible side of the inclined reflective surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the display unit of the presentinvention with the half model of the sample object to be displayed init.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the display unit of the presentinvention showing the reflective surface including the side panel,reflective surface, half model of the object to be displayed and sidepanel.

FIG. 3 is a partial rear view of the of the display unit of the presentinvention showing the rotating motor and disc on the back of thereflective surface.

FIG. 4 is an isolated view of the half model of the object to bedisplayed of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the half object of the present inventionshowing the magnets, the soft and thin material, and the half model.

FIG. 6 is an isolated view of the present invention showing thepatterned left side panel.

FIG. 7 is an isolated view of the present invention showing thepatterned right side panel.

FIG. 8 is a top view the rotating mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the rotating mechanism of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 shows an optional monitor installed on the upwardly-facingbottom surface of the display box to create a background visual of theobject to be displayed (revolved).

PARTS LIST

-   1. External Box-   2. Reflective Surface-   3. Magnets embedded in the half model of the object to be displayed-   4. A soft and thin fabric material cover-   5. Half model of the object to be displayed-   6. Patterned Left side panel-   7. Patterned Right side panel-   8. Magnets on the rotating disk to pull the half model of the object    to be displayed on the mirror-   9. Rotating disk-   10. Band to fix the mechanism to the back side of the reflective    surface-   11. Motor-   12. Monitor to create background image if desired-   13. Reflection of the half object from the reflective surface to    form the full object image-   14. Reflection of the patterned side panel from the reflective    surface to form the full depth view of the display unit-   15. Background image from the monitor for the object to be displayed

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention (FIG. 1) is a free-standing and mobile displayunit that can be used in fields such as advertisement, display, retail,exhibition, decoration, furniture, industries and all relevant otherindustries, sectors and applications, where the object(s) to bedisplayed is/are perceived by the viewer as if they are 3-D objectsfreely rotating in space with no connections or attachments. In thepresent invention, the object to be displayed (or a model thereof) iscut in half, creating a half model. When used in the display unit of thepresent invention, the half model appears as the complete objectrotating freely in space.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the whole display unit with thehalf model of the sample object to be displayed in it. In this case, thesample object is a cube, and the half model is half a cube. In FIG. 1,the object to be displayed (half model 5 and reflection 13 combined) isdisplayed inside an external box 1 with a reflective surface 2 (forexample, a mirror) system mounted inside the display unit. FIG. 1 is anassembled view of the product showing the external box 1, reflectivesurface 2, half model of the object to be displayed 5, and side panels 6and 7. (all sub-units are assembled). Rotation of the half model 5 onthe reflective surface 2 is perceived as a revolving full object inspace. The full object image is formed by the half model 5 and thereflection 13 of the half model 5 (dashed cube line) from the reflectivesurface 2 to the viewer.

The display unit shown in FIG. 1 generates this perception of freerotation in space by sliding the half cut model 5 of any objects to bedisplayed attached on to the surface of the reflective surface 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, this reflective surface 2 is mounted into thedisplay unit inclined towards the viewer with an angle of 45 degreeswith the ground plane. The half model 5 of the object to be displayed,is attached to the reflective surface 2 with embedded magnets 3 into thenon-visible cross section side of the half model of the object to bedisplayed, as shown in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 2, the reflection 13 of the half model 5 attached on thereflective surface 2 generates and completes the full object perception(5 and 13 combined) to the viewers eye. FIG. 2 also shows the patternedleft side panel 6 of the display unit.

Concurrently, in FIG. 1, since the viewer is not aware and can notrealize the existence of the reflective surface 2, the full/completeobject's image appears as if the object is freely standing in space withno attachments at all.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the reflective surface 2 (for ex: a mirror)with an angle of 45° to the bottom surface with a rotator mechanism (themotor 11, disk 9 and the magnets 8) to revolve the half object 5 withmagnets embedded, on the other side of the reflective surface 2. Therevolving/rotating movement of the object to be displayed isgenerated/realized by the rotation of opposite poled magnets 8 via amotor 11 installed at the rear (non visible) side of the reflectivesurface 2. These magnets 8 rotating at the back side of the reflectivesurface 2 causes the half model 5 to slide on the reflective surface 2as desired and hence generates the perception of the freely revolving3-D full object in space.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a half model of an object to be displayed inthe display unit, which in this case is a cube. In the presentinvention, the term object to be displayed can be any three-dimensionalobject (for example, a logo, a device, a can, an airplane model, etc.).Similarly, the term “half model” can be that object cut in half, or anitem resembling that particular object cut in half.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown the back view of a half model of theobject to be displayed in the display box. FIG. 5 shows how two magnets3 are embedded into the rear side of the half object 5 to attach theobject to the reflective surface 2. The rear side of the half object 5is covered with a thin and soft material 4 (for example, a fabric orTeflon) to ease movement and avoid scratching the reflective surface 2.These magnets 3 will be pulled by the magnets 8 of the rotator mechanismat the back of the reflective surface 2, so as to hold the half model 5against the reflective surface 2, and move the half model 5 thereon.

Concealment of the existence of the reflective surface 2 from the vieweris realized by adding various patterns/lines 6 and 7 resembling theintersection line of the reflective surface with the inner side walls ofthe display unit. For example, FIG. 6 shows the triangular left sidepanel with added (plotted) lines (patterns) to mask the recognition ofthe intersection line of reflective surface 2 and the side view by theviewer/observer standing in front of the unit. These lines/patterns arereflected in the reflective surface 2.

FIG. 7 similarly shows the triangular right side panel 7 with added(plotted) lines (patterns) to mask the recognition of the intersectionline of the reflective surface 2 and the side view by theviewer/observer standing in front of the unit. In essence, the patternson panels 6 and 7 mask the existence of the reflective surface 2 to theviewer.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the rotator mechanism utilized to pull (viamagnets) and revolve the object to be displayed with magnets embedded onthe other side of the reflective surface. FIG. 8 shows the band 10 usedto fix the mechanism to the back side of the reflective surface 2. FIG.9 shows a side view of the rotator mechanism, wherein the rotating disk9 would be up against the back of the reflective surface 2.

FIG. 10 shows an optional monitor 12 installed on the upwardly-facingbottom surface of the display box to create a background visual of theobject to be displayed (revolved). The image on the monitor reflectsfrom the 45° mirror and appears to the viewer as if it is at the backpanel of the display as a background image or video. In FIG. 10, thebackground image 15 is shown as a tree in dotted lines. This backgroundimage or special effect 15 is generated by the reflection of the videoor image from the monitor via the reflective surface 2 towards theviewer's eye, while the half model 5 of the object continues to slide onthe reflective surface 2.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention isillustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details ofthe illustrated construction may be made within the scope of the presentinvention without departing from the true spirit of the invention. Thepresent invention should only be limited by the following claims andtheir legal equivalents.

I claim:
 1. A product display unit comprising: an external box; areflective surface mounted in said external box, said reflective surfacebeing at a 45° angle relative to a bottom surface of said external box;a rotation mechanism positioned adjacent a back side of said reflectivesurface, said rotation mechanism having at least one magnet thereon; anda half model having at least one magnet on a back side thereof, areflection of said half model being visible in said reflective surface,said half model and said reflection of said half model forming an imageof a full object, said half model being movably positioned against afront side of said reflective surface, said at least one magnet of saidhalf model being attracted to said at least one magnet of said rotationmechanism.
 2. The product display unit of claim 1, said half modelhaving a soft and thin fabric on said back side thereof.
 3. The productdisplay unit of claim 1, said rotation mechanism comprising: a bandaffixed to said back side of said reflective surface; a rotating diskpositioned between said band and said reflective surface, said rotatingdisk having at least one magnet thereon on a side of said rotating diskfacing said reflective surface; and a motor drivingly connected to saidrotating disk.
 4. The product display unit of claim 3, said motor beingpositioned on a side of said band opposite said rotating disk.
 5. Theproduct display unit of claim 1, further comprising: a monitor installedon said bottom surface of said external box facing said reflectivesurface, said monitor having an image thereon, said image beingreflected in said reflective surface.
 6. The product display unit ofclaim 1, said reflective surface comprising a mirror.
 7. The productdisplay unit of claim 1, said external box having side panels, each ofsaid side panels having a pattern thereon.
 8. The product display unitof claim 1, where said external box has an open or transparent frontside.